Synthetic resin bottle

Abstract

A synthetic resin bottle, wherein a bottom includes: an annular-shaped peripheral portion; a protruding ridge disposed radially inward from the peripheral portion and configured to serve as a ground contacting portion of the bottle by protruding downward from the peripheral portion and configured, when deformed under reduced pressure, to make the peripheral portion serve as the ground contacting portion by displaced toward an inside of the bottle (upward); and a depressed recess located radially inward from the protruding ridge and depressed toward the inside of the bottle. The peripheral portion has an outer diameter dimension less than that of a lower end portion of the trunk, or a plurality of radiately extending groove portions is arranged side by side at an equal interval in the circumferential direction in the peripheral portion.

Claims

1. A synthetic resin bottle comprising: a mouth from which a content medium is to be dispensed, a shoulder, a trunk, and a bottom, all of which are integrally formed in the stated order, the bottom being configured to be displaced toward an inside direction of the synthetic resin bottle under a reduced pressure generated in an inside of the synthetic resin bottle, the bottom including: an annular-shaped peripheral portion having an outer diameter dimension less than an outer diameter dimension of a lower end portion of the trunk; a protruding ridge disposed radially inward from the peripheral portion and protruding further away from the inside of the synthetic resin bottle than the peripheral portion such that the protruding ridge contacts a surface without having the peripheral portion contact the surface when the synthetic resin bottle is placed on the surface, the protruding ridge being configured to recede toward the inside of the synthetic resin bottle such that the peripheral portion contacts the surface without having the protruding ridge contact the surface when the reduced pressure is generated inside of the synthetic resin bottle and the synthetic resin bottle is placed on the surface; and a depressed recess located radially inward from the protruding ridge and depressed toward the inside of the synthetic resin bottle.

2. The synthetic resin bottle according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of radiately extending groove portions are arranged side by side at an equal interval in a circumferential direction in the peripheral portion.

3. The synthetic resin bottle according to claim 2, wherein the groove portions are each tapered radially inward.

4. A synthetic resin bottle comprising: a mouth from which a content medium is to be dispensed, a shoulder, a trunk, and a bottom, all of which are integrally formed in the stated order, the bottom being configured to be displaced toward an inside direction of the synthetic resin bottle under a reduced pressure generated in an inside of the synthetic resin bottle, the bottom including: an annular-shaped peripheral portion; a protruding ridge disposed radially inward from the peripheral portion and protruding further away from the inside of the synthetic resin bottle than the peripheral portion such that the protruding ridge contacts a surface without having the peripheral portion contact the surface when the synthetic resin bottle is placed on the surface, the protruding ridge being configured to recede toward the inside of the synthetic resin bottle such that the peripheral portion contacts the surface without having the protruding ridge contact the surface when the reduced pressure is generated inside of the synthetic resin bottle and the synthetic resin bottle is placed on the surface; a depressed recess located radially inward from the protruding ridge and depressed toward the inside of the synthetic resin bottle; and a plurality of radiately extending groove portions are arranged side by side at an equal interval in a circumferential direction in the peripheral portion.

5. The synthetic resin bottle according to claim 4, wherein the groove portions are each tapered radially inward.

6. The synthetic resin bottle according to claim 4, wherein the peripheral portion has an outer diameter dimension less than an outer diameter dimension of a lower end portion of the trunk.

7. The synthetic resin bottle according to claim 5, wherein the peripheral portion has an outer diameter dimension less than an outer diameter dimension of a lower end portion of the trunk.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the accompanying drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a synthetic resin bottle according to the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a bottle illustrated in FIG. 1; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of a bottom of a bottle illustrated in FIG. 1 that is taken along a line A-A in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

(6) FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an embodiment of a synthetic resin bottle according to the present disclosure, FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a bottle illustrated in FIG. 1 that is taken along a line A-A in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of a bottom of a bottle illustrated in FIG. 1. A two-dot chain line illustrated in FIG. 3 indicates an example of a state where the bottom is displaced upward when absorbing a reduced pressure.

(7) In the figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a synthetic resin bottle (hereinafter, simply referred to as the bottle) according to one of embodiments of the present disclosure. The bottle 1 includes a cylindrical mouth 2 that is opened in an upper side thereof. The bottle 1 also includes a shoulder 3, a cylindrical trunk 4, and a bottom 5 that are integrally connected to the mouth 2. Inside the bottle 1, inner space is defined to contain a content medium.

(8) The trunk 4 includes (in the present embodiment, a total of 5) peripheral grooves 6 extending annually in the circumferential direction. The peripheral grooves 6 help enhance the surface rigidity of the trunk 4 and impart good shape retainability to the trunk 4. The trunk 4 is also provided in a lower end portion thereof with an annular rib portion 4a. The rigidity (such as the surface rigidity and the buckling strength) of the trunk 4 may be enhanced by various other appropriate ways such as by providing the trunk 4 with longitudinal ribs for reinforcement.

(9) The bottom 5 includes an annular-shaped peripheral portion 10 located radially outermost in the bottom 5. The peripheral portion 10 includes a heel wall portion 11 that is connected to a lower end edge of the trunk 4 and an annular-shaped outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 that is located radially inward from the heel wall portion 11. The heel wall portion 11 includes an outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a that is connected to the lower end edge of the trunk 4, that is to say, the lower end edge of the rib 4a and also includes a heel-shaped portion 11b that is connected to a lower end edge of the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a. The outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 is connected to an inner circumferential edge of the heel-shaped portion 11b. The heel-shaped portion 11b is a curved portion that is provided continuously between the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a and the outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 and that protrudes downward. The bottom 5 also includes a protruding ridge 13 disposed radially inward from the peripheral portion 10. The protruding ridge 13 protrudes downward from the peripheral portion 10. The protruding ridge 13 is configured to serve as a ground contact portion of the bottle 1 and also configured, when being deformed under a reduced pressure (during absorption of the reduced pressure), to impart the peripheral portion 10 (heel-shaped portion 11b) with the role of the ground contacting portion by being displaced toward the inner space of the bottle above a lower end of the peripheral portion 10. A depressed recess 14 is also disposed radially inward from the protruding ridge 13. The depressed recess 14 has a shape that is depressed toward the inner space of the bottle.

(10) As illustrated in detail in FIG. 3, the outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 in the present embodiment is formed in, for example, a flat shape and is inclined upward as it extends radially inward. In this respect, it is to be noted that hot filling makes the synthetic resin more likely to be softened due to the temperature of the content medium and also brings the inside of the bottle to a pressurized state due to the filling pressure, and that the resulting stress acting downward on the bottom 5 might places the bottom 5 at the risk of undergoing downwardly bulging deformation. However, by increasing an inclination angle of the outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 with respect to the horizontal direction, the bulging deformation is effectively prevented. Additionally, although the inclination angle of the outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 may be selected suitably in consideration of balance between the effect of preventing the bulging deformation of the bottom and the reduced pressure absorption function, the outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 may extend along the horizontal direction without inclination depending on the type of the content medium and conditions of hot filling.

(11) The protruding ridge 13 in the present embodiment includes an outer circumferential-side portion 13a, an inner circumferential-side portion 13b, and a flat-shaped toe portion 13c disposed between the outer circumferential-side portion 13a and the inner circumferential-side portion 13b, and thus, the protruding ridge 13 in its section has a substantially trapezoidal shape. The toe portion may be curved to have a U-shape. Although in the present embodiment the toe portion 13c is slightly inclined upward as it extends radially inward, the toe portion 13c may also extend in the horizontal direction.

(12) In the present embodiment, a groove-shaped recess 15 is also formed between an inner circumferential end edge 12a of the outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 and an outer circumferential end edge 13d of the protruding ridge 13. Forming the groove-shaped recess 15 facilitates the displacement of the bottom 5 and promotes smooth upward displacement. Furthermore, because the thickness of the bottom 5 is not necessarily uniform, when the bottom 5 is displaced upward, a portion of the bottom 5 that is more deformable is displaced more preferentially. Accordingly, the upward displacement of the bottom 5 proceeds while applying bending stress to a concave-convex portion that undergoes concave and convex deformation in the circumferential direction and that extends radiately. Hence, this radiately extending portion applied with bending stress, when advancing radially outward, might places the peripheral portion 10, which serves as the ground contacting portion, at the risk of undergoing deformation. However, when the groove-shaped recess 15 is formed, the groove-shaped recess 15 prevents the radiately extending portion applied with bending stress from advancing radially outward, and accordingly, prevents the deformation of the peripheral portion 10 effectively and allows the peripheral portion 10 to exert the role of the ground contacting portion of the bottle 1 in a stable manner. Additionally, depending on the type of the content medium and conditions of hot filling, the groove-shaped recess 15 may be omitted, and the outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 may be directly connected to the protruding ridge 13.

(13) The depressed recess 14 in the present embodiment has a sectional shape including a side portion that is curved to bulge toward the inner space and a top portion that extends flat in the horizontal direction. The depressed recess 14 also includes reinforcing ribs 16 that bulge toward the outside of the bottle 1 and that extend radiately (in the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a total of 4 reinforcing ribs 16 are arranged at an equal interval in the circumferential direction). The sectional shapes of the depressed recess 14 and the reinforcing ribs 16, the number of the reinforcing ribs 16, and the like may be appropriately changed.

(14) In the present disclosure, the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a of the heel wall portion 11 that constitutes the outermost portion of the peripheral portion 10 of the bottom 5 has an outer diameter dimension that is less than an outer diameter dimension of the lower end portion of the trunk 4. In the illustrated example, the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a is formed in a stepped form that is depressed inward relative to the rib portion 4a provided in the lower end portion of the trunk 4. Based on, for example, results of experimentations conducted in advance, the height of the step defined between the outer circumferential surface of the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a and the outer circumferential surface of the rib portion 4a of the trunk 4 may be set to a value by which, even when the bottom 5 is displaced upward when absorbing a reduced pressure and causes the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a to deform, the outer diameter of the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a, after the deformation, does not exceeds the outer diameter of the rib portion, 4a, and a portion of the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a does not protrude radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the rib portion 4a.

(15) The peripheral portion 10 may be provided with a plurality of groove portions 17 that are each recessed toward the inner space. As illustrate in FIG. 2, the groove portions 17 are arranged radiately in the peripheral portion 10 and, in the present embodiment, (a total of 12 groove portions 17) are arranged side by side at an equal interval in the circumferential direction. When viewed from the bottom, the groove portions 17 each have a shape that is tapered radially inward, that is to say, a substantially triangular shape. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the groove portion 17, in the section taken in a middle portion thereof, includes an inner circumferential end edge 17a that is aligned with the inner circumferential end edge 12a of the outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12 and an outer circumferential end edge 17b that is aligned with the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a of the heel wall portion 11, and the groove portion 17 is inclined upward as the groove portion 17 extends radially outward.

(16) Although in the present embodiment the groove portions 17 are connected to the groove-shaped recess 15, the groove portions 17 do not need to be connected to the groove-shaped recess 15. The shape of each groove portion 17 is not limited to the aforementioned substantially triangular shape and may be appropriately selected. For example, the shape of each groove portion 17 may be a substantially circular, an elliptical, an oblong, a rectangular, or a trapezoidal shape.

(17) When the bottle 1 structured as above is filled with the content medium at a high temperature and is cooled after the mouth 2 is capped, the inside of the bottle 1 is placed under a reduced pressure state, and as illustrated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, the bottom 5 is displaced upward toward the inner space of the bottle 1. Thus, the reduced pressure inside the bottle is absorbed, and the trunk 4 is prevented from being deformed.

(18) As the bottom 5 is displaced upward toward the inner space of the bottle 1, the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a of the heel wall portion 11 of the bottom 5 is deformed. At this time, when the thickness of the bottle 1 is slightly non-uniform depending on various portions of the bottle 1, the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a might be deformed into an unsightly shape in the circumferential direction. However, since in the present disclosure the outer diameter dimension of the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a of the heel wall portion 11 that constitutes the outermost portion of the peripheral portion 10 of the bottom 5 is less than the outer diameter dimension of the lower end portion (the rib portion 4a) of the trunk 4, even when the upward displacement of the bottom 5 causes unsightly deformation of the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a, the outer circumferential cylindrical portion, after the deformation, is prevented from extending radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the rib portion 4a of the trunk 4 and exceeding the maximum diameter defined for the bottle 1, that is to say, the maximum diameter that takes design tolerance into consideration. Furthermore, since the trunk 4 is shaped to include, in the lower end portion thereof, the rib portion 4a protruding radially outward relative to the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a, due to the rib-like effect of the step defined between the rib portion 4a and the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a, the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a is firmly prevented from being deformed radially outward. Accordingly, in a manufacturing process of the bottle 1, the outer diameter of the bottom 5 of the bottle 1, after being hot filled with the content medium, is prevented from exceeding the defined maximum diameter, and this in turn prevents troubles in, for example, the transfer process.

(19) Moreover, when the plurality of radiately extending groove portions 17 is arranged side by side at an equal interval in the circumferential direction in the peripheral portion 10, the stress focused on the groove portions is distributed evenly throughout the circumferential direction, and it is further ensured that the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a is prevented from being deformed and exceeding the maximum diameter defined for the bottle 1. Especially when the groove portions 17 each have a shape that is tapered radially inward as the groove portions 17 in the present embodiment, the stress is focused on the groove portions 17 more effectively, and accordingly, the bottom 5 is deformed more easily, and the reduced pressure absorption effect and the aforementioned effect are further enhanced. Moreover, by deforming the entire bottom 5 evenly by providing the groove portions 17, the ground contact stability and the appearance of the bottle 1 are favorably maintained.

(20) In the above embodiment, the outer diameter dimension of the peripheral portion 10 of the bottom 5 of the bottle 1 is less than the outer diameter dimension of the lower end portion of the trunk 4, and the plurality of radiately extending groove portions 17 is arranged side by side at an equal interval in the circumferential direction. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this embodiment, and the groove portions 17 do not need to be provided in the peripheral portion 10, although the outer diameter dimension of the peripheral portion 10 is less than the outer diameter dimension of the lower end portion of the trunk 4, or alternatively, the outer diameter dimension of the peripheral portion 10 may be the same or greater than the outer diameter dimension of the lower end portion of the trunk 4, although the plurality of radiately extending groove portions 17 is arranged side by side at an equal interval in the circumferential direction in the peripheral portion 10.

(21) Moreover, although in the above embodiment the outer circumferential surface of the heel wall portion 11 that constitutes the outermost portion of the peripheral portion 10 of the bottom 5 is formed as the cylindrical-shaped outer circumferential cylindrical portion 11a that defines the step relative to the rib portion 4a, which is the lower end portion of the trunk 4, the present disclosure is not limited to this embodiment. The outer circumferential surface of the heel wall portion 11 may also be formed in a shape (e.g., a tapered shape) whose diameter is reduced as it extends downward from the lower end portion (the rib portion 4a) of the trunk 4 without defining any step.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(22) The present disclosure provides a synthetic resin bottle, with a structure in which a bottom is imparted with a reduced pressure absorption function, that prevents the bottom from being deformed and exceeding the defined maximum diameter after the content medium is hot filled.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(23) 1 Bottle 2 Mouth 3 Shoulder 4 Trunk 4a Rib portion 5 Bottom 6 Peripheral groove 10 Peripheral portion 11 Heel wall portion 11a Outer circumferential cylindrical portion of heel wall portion 11b Heel-shaped portion of heel wall portion 12 Outer circumferential bottom wall portion 12a Inner circumferential end edge of flat portion 13 Protruding ridge 13a Outer circumferential-side portion 13b Inner circumferential-side portion 13c Toe portion 13d Outer circumferential end edge of protruding ridge 14 Depressed recess 15 Groove-shaped recess 16 Reinforcing rib 17 Groove portion 17a Inner circumferential end edge of groove portion 17b Outer circumferential end edge of groove portion